Texas Conflict Coach

  Special Program for Disability Employment Awareness Month Mediations in the workplace involving employees with disabilities may -- or may not -- be about legal rights.  Whatever the subject of the mediation is ?  whether it's an interpersonal dispute, a conflict between employee and supervisor, or a reasonable accommodation negotiation ? it needs to be accessible to the person with a disability.  Judy Cohen, Project Coordinator of the ADA Mediation Guidelines, will talk about steps employers and employees should take to make sure that employees with disabilities can fully participate in the process.    Judy Cohen is Executive Director of Access Resources, a mediation and training firm. A national leader in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mediation, Judy has expertise in mediating issues involving people with disabilities. She is Project Coordinator of the ADA Mediation Guidelines, the first set of aspirational standards for mediation administrators and practitioners in the effective management

In October, we celebrate International Conflict Resolution Day as well as International Peace Day. Soon, I will also be celebrating my 10 year anniversary as a woman-owned business with Conflict Connections Inc.. As a way to honor this anniversary, I will share with you the Top 10 strategies for dealing with conflict constructively. These strategies and tips coms with almost 18 years of experience as a conflict resolution practitioner, and from a place, just like you, one who deals with personal conflict in everyday life.

We often long to solve conflict and the question becomes how. On today’s program Eileen Dowse will share her SOLVE™ model as an easy approach for you to work through issues and develop lasting solutions. This process offers techniques for expanding interpersonal communications and building better relationships in the future.   Join my Guest Host Zena Zumeta as she talks with  Eileen Dowse, an an international consultant, author and speaker whose practice focuses on improving workplace dynamics. She works with individuals, and organizations throughout North America, Europe, Australia and Asia to help people work more effectively together. She is an award-winning author of "The Naked Manager, How to build open relationships at work". Her second book “The Agile Business Leader, The Four Roles of Successful Leaders” focuses on being responsive, adaptive and effective in an era filled with confusion, contradictions, and corruption. Eileen is widely regarded as one of the thought-leaders in international facilita

You've heard it before...instinctively, when anyone feels threatened our brain kicks into gear with a fight or flight response. We either stand up and fight to protect ourselves, or we run away from the threat. It is biologically part of who we are as humans. There are other choices we can make when we feel threatened in a confrontation. Choices and different behavioral approaches to dealing with conflict more effectively and constructively. In this show segment, Zena Zumeta and I will discuss the 5 primary approaches to help you manage conflict more effectively going beyond just fight or flight responses. Click for more information on the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument

The Science & Fun Of Nonverbal Communication For Conflict Resolution Professionals  Body Language and gestures are fun to talk about yet also have a significant impact during our interactions with others.  As conflict and communication specialists, it is important for us to be aware of our nonverbal cues as well as those used by others.  This includes negotiation and mediations sessions and the work of ombuds and conflict coaches. Jeff Thompson  will share important information based on research (his and others) and offer it in a way you can apply it to your practice.  He shares's his METTA acronym as a way to be aware of all the present nonverbal elements. Join us to learn new information, have fun and ask questions.   Jeff Thompson is a NYPD detective and professional mediator. He also gives presenations and trainings on conflict resolution, communication and nonverbal communication skills.  Jeff has a MS in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution from Creighton University and is currently a PhD candidate

Differences and disagreements – we deal with them all the time.  They are conflicts, though we don’t bother to label them as such.  We listen and consider, we build solutions, we problem solve, and then we move on.   Other times, something snaps – and we suddenly find ourselves standing in the middle of an ugly mess, arguing perhaps, or getting out of the room as quickly as possible.  In this segment of the Texas Conflict Coach, we’ll consider what turns a simple disagreement into a conflict, and strategies to keep conflict at the lowest possible level.   Susan Shearouse has over twenty years experience helping people resolve their differences. Her expertise is in improving working relationships, creating a safe place for thorny conversations, managing strong emotions, and providing collaborative problem-solving processes.  Susan often explains that she earned a life degree in conflict – on the job, at home and in her community.  After completing a Masters degree in Conflict Resolution from George Mason Univ

Special Education Mediation:  A Proactive Approach to Resolving School Conflicts   Join us to learn the who, what, when, how and why of special education mediation.  Learn how special education students can get the services and support they need to succeed.  How mediation helps parents and educators collaborate to promote student learning and school success.  How mediation resolves special educational disputes in a meaningful and productive way. Join Zena Zumeta as she talks with Laura Athens about this import topic.   Laura Athens is an attorney, mediator and arbitrator in Michigan.  Her practice focuses primarily on education law and disability rights.  She has served as a Hearing Officer in special education and vocational rehabilitation cases and previously taught education law at Wayne State Law School.   For more information on the U.S. Department of Education,  National Disability Rights Network,  Idea Partnership (a coalition of 50 organizations dedicated to improving outcomes for students with d

Bullying: An elephant in the classroom focuses on the chaos and mayhem exposed in one Texas school district. Teachers complain of abusive, fearful, and chaotic classrooms that interfere with educating students. They are the targets of bullying by their co-workers and/or school administrators. They are faced with dealing with the elephant in the classroom. She will share the lessons learned.   Dr. Walker has a PhD in Public Policy and Administration with specialization in Health Services she holds certifications in mediation, family mediation, ADR, and she is a Certified Workplace Violence Specialist. In addition, she is a victim of workplace bullying and the Texas Coordinator for Texas Healthy Workplace Advocates for the past 4years. Read this article from Fort Worth Weekly School Bullies: The Fort Worth district’s culture of intimidation goes far beyond the classroom For more information about on the HealthyWorkplaceBill and Workplacebullying.org Follow Dr. Walker on Twitter at @WBI_Namie and @texashealt

Summer is ending and the school year draws near. Our kids have had lots of fun times together. Siblings can be the best of friends, but conflict and disagreements are also a natural part of their ever-changing relationships. We may not always realize it, but we have many ways to help our kids learn how to "fight fair" - to work out disagreements without punching or shouting. Join me and my returning guest, Parent Coach Janet Bonnin of Fine-Tuned Families. We will dive into a great discussion with many tips and ideas you can take to head off big "blow ups" and guide constructive communication. We will also be joined by a super mother of eight, Maggie Luevano, and two of her kids who are part of the Hill Country musical group, "Mariachi 'L'". Maggie and her kids will share stories of growing up in this fantastic family, a brief history of the group's formation, and how the family has dealt with sibling disagreements over the years. Don't miss this great conversation!   Janet Bonnin is a Life Coach, Indus

We continue our Back to School series with Dr. Pamela Lane-Garon on Mentored Peer Mediation. Peer mediation has made a difference in schools all over our nation for 30 years. Mediator Mentors is a university-public school partnership in which future teachers, counselors, social workers and school psychologists support the development of conflict resolution skills in school children. This program offers an opportunity for future helping professionals (teachers, counselors, social workers, school psychologists, etc.) to support the development of respectful conflict resolution skills among school children in our community. In this show, we will talk about how Mentored Mediation is different from Peer Mediation?   Join us as we talk with Dr. Pamela Lane-Garon, also known as Dr. Pam, who is a professor at California State University Fresno, a researcher and a mediation trainer in Central California. She currently directs a project called Mediator Mentors For more information visit: Creducation.org and www.csuf

Restorative Practices: Can ancient traditions of accountability and peacemaking create safer schools today Many schools need more practical and effective measures for ending violence and disruption and for promoting more cooperative behavior. Restorative Practices derive from indigenous cultures and are based on time-honored principles of respect, resolution and community. In schools, they promote problem solving, conflict resolution, personal accountability, and productive climates for learning. They can dramatically reduce reliance on suspensions. Our guests will discuss the recent, worldwide emergence of the ancient "Restorative Practices" and describe how they are improving schools in Michigan. Join my guest Host Zena Zumeta as she speaks with Bill Sower and Susan Butterwick. Bill Sower is a retired Michigan teacher and principal. Working with the International Institute for Restorative Practices, he has trained thousands of educators in restorative conferences and circles. He now directs the Christophe

Using Hurricane Katrina as a model, this speaker will discuss the phenomenology of disasters in America. Various deleterious factors can be forecast that impede effective emergency response. These factors can be better managed when one person is placed in a role to oversee and manage the crisis phase of a disaster. A Conflict Management Professional can unify the ad hoc crisis management team and ensure its accountability and engagement. Provision of a structural solution of this nature would signify a commitment by our government to mitigate human misery in disasters. Join us as we speak with Cindy Mazur, she has just earned her PhD from George Mason University’s Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution in Fairfax, Virginia. Her research is in Conflict Management and the emergency management challenges of Hurricane Katrina. Cindy is the Director for Alternative Dispute Resolution in Washington, D.C., at a federal agency that delivers emergency management services. Click for more information on Cindy

Church congregations are not immune to conflict. Beth Padgett and Alexandria Skinner would argue that conflict is a sign of an active, engaged, and vital congregation. The question is not whether religious communities will have conflict, but how they will respond to it when it happens. Beth and Alexandria will discuss patterns of church conflict, as well as how mediators can invite clergy, staff and members into trans-formative conversations where firmly held beliefs are part of the conflict and its transformation. Beth Padgett works as a civil and family mediator. She is the Executive Director of the Community Mediation Center in Columbia. Beth earned two degrees from the University of South Carolina, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Masters of Education. She also earned a Master of Arts in Human Behavior and Conflict Management from Columbia College. Beth has a background in education, mental health and addiction treatment services, domestic violence counseling, as well as curriculum and program devel

Dr. Abuelaish will talk about his education as a Palestinian becoming a doctor, his work at an Israeli hospital delivering babies and going back and forth over the border to Gaza, and the night that 3 of his daughters were killed in an Israeli attack on Gaza. Despite this tragedy, Dr. Abuelaish, who now lives in Toronto, Canada, still speaks out for peace. His book, I Shall Not Hate, is a testament to the human spirit and its belief in the good in people that lies behind even hatred and war. He speaks of building bridges between peoples, instead of succumbing to hatred. He now has a website for the memorial and foundation he has set up in memory of his daughters and his niece who died in 2009, www.daughtersforlife.com. Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, MD, MPH, a Palestinian medical doctor who was born and raised in the Jabalia refugee Camp is a passionate and eloquent proponent of peace between Palestinians and Israelis. He received his elementary, preparatory and secondary education in the refugee camp schools. Befo

Managing inter-communal conflict and violence is critical to national and international security in today's world. As societies are becoming more diverse, many more countries are facing ethnic, religious, cultural and social conflicts. The globalization of such conflicts is also increasing. Join me as I speak with Mari Fitzduff, the Program Director of the Coexistence and Conflict program at The Heller School of Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. Professor Mari Fitzduff is a native of Northern Ireland who brings more than 20 years of international experience in conflict resolution policy and practice development to the program. Professor Fitzduff was the first chief executive of the foremost conflict resolution agency in Northern Ireland. More recently, she served as director of UNU/INCORE, a United Nations University Center and one of the world's leading organizations for international research and consultancy work on coexistence and conflict matters around the world. She has served as a

When consumers find themselves in a dispute with a business, where can they go to get the dispute resolved? We will speak with Erin Dufner, the Senior Vice President of Communications and Operations for BBB Serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin. She is passionate and enthusiastic about communicating BBB’s brand promise of delivering trust through internal and external communications to consumers, BBB Accredited Businesses, media and BBB staff. Erin was born and raised in Southern California and began her career at BBB in 1996. Erin oversees all marketing and communications for BBB, such as traditional and digital marketing and advertising, media and public relations as well as brand messaging. In addition, she is responsible for all core BBB operations, which include dispute resolution, trade practices investigations, and government relations. Erin has trained BBB professionals across the country in several areas of BBB work, as well as served on national BBB committees. Erin and her

As a business are you engaging in SMART conflict management and dispute resolution? Embrace conflict on the road to greater profitability and improve relationships with employees, customers and vendors. Let's explore how intelligently managing conflicts with your key stakeholders can improve your bottom line and performance. Join my Guest Host Zena Zumeta as we talk with Dick Hurford, a litigation and Labor/Employment Attorney. Since 1980, Mr. Hurford has focused his practice on employment matters and the representation of corporate clients in litigation and claims in state and federal courts and administrative agencies.Throughout his career Mr. Hurford has been a frequent lecturer and presenter on employment law, ADR and litigation management techniques. In addition to his J.D. and Masters in History, Mr. Hurford has an MBA, has a Yellow Belt certification from Legal Lean Sigma, and is pursuing a Green Belt certification in Six Sigma processes. For more information go to: Ogletree Deakins or email him at:

Being in business with your family can bring lots of rewards, including financial security and personal pleasure in working with people you know well and love.  But it can also be the source of misunderstanding, antagonism and painful conflict.  The show looks at common causes of conflict in family businesses and how that conflict can be resolved and even prevented. Join me as I talk with Jim Lea, a writer, speaker and advisor on family owned and closely held business.  He’s the author of Keeping It In the Family: Successful Succession of the Family Business, a syndicated print and online family business columnist, and author of numerous articles. Jim advises family owned companies in the United States and other countries on human performance and relationships issues in management, including identifying, understanding and resolving causes of conflict.  He is frequently invited to speak to trade and business groups.  He’s a professor at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.   For more information g

Are you in a business partnership that's having problems?  Have you been in the past?  What is it that makes for a good working partnership? Even good partnerships have periods of problems.  Where can relationships go wrong?  This show will discuss how to prevent partnership problems, and how to approach fixing them once they appear. Join us as we discuss with Zena Zumeta a lawyer and  a former president of the Academy of Family Mediators. Internationally known as both a mediator and trainer of mediators, Zena is president of the Mediation Training & Consultation Institute, Zena Zumeta Mediation Services, and The Collaborative Workplace in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For more information go to Zena Zumeta Mediation Services   

We are welcoming back Sheri Callahan to speak about Emotional Intelligence – A Path to Building EI Competency. In Part 1, we introduced the importance of emotional intelligence and the need to raise self-awareness and build a critical skill set. We will identify emotional intelligence competencies and focus on tools, strategies and resources for you to build upon. Join us as I talk with Sheri Callahan, the owner of Horizon Consulting Group, based in Columbia SC. Sheri has over 16 years in HR consulting, training, and keynote speaking specializing in employee development and group dynamics. Her education is Bachelor’s in Speech Communication and a Master’s in Human Behavior and Conflict Management. Sheri is also a certified workplace mediator, facilitator of various 360 assessments and past president of the SC State Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution. Lastly, Sheri services clients across industry lines in the US and abroad. More information about Sheri’s practice can be found on her webs